Río Tercero: Riverfront, Railway Heritage and Museums

Río Tercero lies on the banks of the Ctalamuchita River. The town offers peaceful nature outings, walks and a diverse cultural heritage. Depending on your interest in railway history, architecture or collections, its various sites offer different highlights.

Riverfront, Nature and Walks

Balneario Municipal and Área Verde Autóctona each offer the chance for a peaceful nature outing. For a different way to spend time outdoors, take a walk along Paseo del Riel. Río Tercero thus offers a choice of both natural attractions and a site with a historical focus. The banks of the Ctalamuchita give the town a clear connection to its landscape.

Railway History and Buildings

Paseo del Riel leads to several landmarks of railway history. The first railway workers’ houses are located there: English-influenced buildings dating from 1912. An old locomotive is also on display along the Paseo; it was one of the first to arrive in Río Tercero. On Calle Acuña stands a water tank built to supply steam locomotives with water. Circuito del Riel and Calle Acuña are connected to Río Tercero’s beginnings. Together, these details tell different parts of the railway story: from supplying locomotives to the workers’ houses and the city’s early trains.

The history of the town’s buildings can also be seen at individual sites. Villa Elisa was completed in May 1916. Iglesia Nuestra Señora del Carmen has Neo-Gothic features, including pointed arches, towers with pointed tops, stained-glass windows and a rose window above the entrance portal. The church’s striking forms and details give it a different architectural character from the buildings associated with the railway.

Museums and Cultural Institutions

Museo Regional Florentino Ameghino is a paleoanthropological museum in the house once inhabited by the daughter of the town’s founder. Other institutions have their own thematic focus: Museo Enrique Gandolfo is an art and exhibition space. Museo Taller Hattemer is dedicated to displaying vintage cars. Museo de José María “Pechito” López explores a significant part of the racing driver’s sporting history, as well as vintage cars from his family. Visitors interested in art, paleoanthropology, or automotive and sporting history will find a range of subjects rather than a single museum focus.

The town’s cultural institutions offer further insights. Biblioteca Popular Justo José de Urquiza is a century-old library that has been converted into a cultural center with a reading room, a visual arts exhibition space and an auditorium. Estafeta Postal Lastenia Torres de Maldonado is a ranch-style building made of mud and straw, with a focus on communications. Museo Scouts Lorenzo Capandegui displays items from the history of the Scout movement. The library, post office building and museum differ in both their architectural style and the subjects they are dedicated to.

Excursions and Further Attractions in Tercero Arriba Department

An alternative excursion from Río Tercero is Dique Piedras Moras in Almafuerte, 13 kilometers from the town. Activities at the dam include rowing, sailing and diving; motorboats are prohibited. Also in Almafuerte, the municipal Mejor en Bici program provides tourists with free bicycles to explore the town. Check the offer’s availability before your trip, as access rules may change.

Other examples in the wider destination of Tercero Arriba Department have their own highlights. Birdlife from the Espinal region can be observed along the Río Ctalamochita. The morning hours are recommended; conditions vary. In Villa Ascasubi, the tourism department offers a podcast as an audio guide to the town’s history, buildings and notable figures, from its beginnings to the present day. It is available on Spotify for mobile devices and computers; check in advance that the episodes you want and the platform are available.

The historical heritage of Tercero Arriba Department also includes the ruins of Capilla de Rodríguez in Villa Ascasubi. They preserve calicanto foundations; the chapel dates from 1727 and served for many years as the center of Curato del Tercero Arriba. The former settlement of El Salto lies beneath Piedras Moras Lake in Almafuerte. These regional examples broaden the picture of Río Tercero, but remain separate places and attractions within the wider destination.

Discover more destinations: Almafuerte, Las Perdices.

Return to the overview of the wider destination: Tercero Arriba Department.